A dark and engaging tale

Bheed (Hindi/Netflix)
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Pankaj Kapur, Ashutosh Rana, Dia Mirza
Rating: 3/5

'Bheed’ is almost like looking into a mirror from the past. A film that revolves around a time when Covid-19 first struck, the script explores how human divides existed amidst this and churned other issues.

About a fortnight into the lockdown, a village called Tezpur, many kilometres away from Delhi, sees an insurgence of migrants. The government’s orders to seal the village’s borders leave several stranded, without food and water. The story starts with Surya Kumar Singh Tikas (Rajkummar Rao) being assigned as in-charge of border duty (between states).

Of the many migrants, Balram Trivedi (Pankaj Kapur), who is headed to his hometown is shown as judgmental towards a minority community. He along with the others react dramatically to some community members offering food to starving people. It is however followed with deep regret when he hears starving children wail.

The film showcases incidents of how hunger, being stuck at unknown locations, and with unknown people, can affect people.

The film’s direction is sharp but, at the same time feels like too many elements have been thrown in. Bhumi Pednekar as Renu Sharma, a doctor on duty, delivers a convincing performance, as she faces dilemmas and handles them with calm. Dia Mirza in a cameo role of a (soon-to-be divorced) mother, who feels helpless as she wants to pick her daughter from the hostel, is apt. Rajkummar steals the show. He is not only convincing as a cop but also as a lover, and in other emotionally-wrenching scenes.

‘Bheed’’s colour tone is what will strike you the most — black and white — as it captures the grimness of the subject well. Blood drops to costumes, and different people from varied backgrounds, are shown in black and white — the colour tone probably meant to signify the grim days in 2020.

The film is engaging and a must-watch, despite some flaws.